researchingpropertylineage homefamily genealogy Virgin Media
House history is fast becoming the latest property craze. One in five Britons are currently researching the history of their property, and 21% of them - that's 1.7 million people - are doing so in the hope of uncovering a famous or infamous former occupant.
As well as being potentially fascinating, if your home has a proven celebrity pedigree it can increase its value significantly. The former homes of playwright Noel Coward, Doctor Who scriptwriter Terry Nation and Gary Barlow were all recently sold at above their guide price.
"Urban myths about celebrity homes are helping to stoke interest, with many still waiting to be discovered..."
The increased availability of historical records online, including property records, is helping to fuel the home history boom by dramatically reducing the legwork and time it takes.
A recent survey conducted on Ancestry.co.uk revealed that more than 14,000 of its 200,000 members are currently researching their property lineage and a further 110,000 plan to do so in the near future.
Michael Fiddes, Head of National Estate Agency at Strutt & Parker said: "If your home has been lived in by a famous former occupant it will inevitably increase the saleability. Whilst it is hard to say exactly how much value this would add, it can be anything up to ten percent."
Urban myths about celebrity homes are helping to stoke interest, with many still waiting to be discovered:
Even if you don't find a link with the famous, many properties have an interesting story to tell - all it takes is a little research.
In part two, read our tips on researching property lineage.
